As U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal has taken on a leading role in House debates over health care, tax overhauls and trade policies, contributions to the Springfield Democrat's next re-election bid are also on the rise.

Although Neal's campaign war chest has held a steady cash balance of around $3 million since March 2015, data filed with the Federal Election Commission show donations to his campaign committee were nearly triple previous first-quarter amounts reported before he was named the top Democrat on the powerful Ways and Means Committee.

The congressman, who was named the panel's ranking Democrat in early December, took in more than $440,000 in campaign contributions in the first three months of 2017. That figure is up from nearly $167,000 during the same period of 2015 -- also a non-election year -- and $149,400 in the first quarter of 2016, according to FEC data.

Although the first quarter amount was significantly higher than previous contribution totals Neal has seen early in his re-election bids, it was not the first time he reported a spike in donations.

The congressman pulled in $421,600 in campaign contributions from April to June 2016 and $324,000 during the same quarter of 2014 -- just months before his two most recent election wins, according to FEC data.

Neal said his increased fundraising is probably due to both a reaction among Democrats to President Donald J. Trump and his agenda, as well as his elevation to the ranking Democrat spot on a powerful committee.

"The party that is out is always more invigorated. That plays a role as well," he said, contending that donors want constancy and stability.

PAC impact

Of the $440,000 Neal's campaign raised between January and the end of March of 2017, three-quarters, or about $329,000, came from political action committees, including 12 contributing $5,000 each -- the maximum amount that can be given to a candidate under campaign finance rules.

Several of those PACs represented health care and insurance industry groups, including: the American Council of Life Insurers Political Action Committee; Cardinal Health Inc. PAC; Guardian Life Insurance Company of America Political Action Committee; National Association of Spine Specialists Spine PAC; Prudential Financial Inc. Political Action Committee.

By contrast, the congressman reported receiving just $99,750 in PAC contributions during the first three months of 2015, and $91,000 during the same period in 2016, FEC data showed.

Neal noted that legislation that has passed through or is expected to soon pass through the Ways and Means committee includes financial regulation and tax legislation -- the latter of which both Republicans and Democrats are looking to overhaul.

Spending increases

As contributions to the Democrat's re-election went up in the first quarter of 2017, so did his campaign's spending.

Neal reported $455,000 in disbursements over the three-month period, including $152,200 in operating expenditures and nearly $303,000 in "other disbursements."

Those figures mark a significant increase over the $154,200 he reported spending in the first quarter of 2015 and the $148,000 spent during the same period in 2016.

The bulk of the $222,000 in 2017 spending not related to operating expenditures went to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in the form of two funds transfers, according to FEC data.

Other spending largely went to congressional campaigns in states across the U.S.

"Part of being in the leadership is having the responsibility to recruit and support candidates," the congressman said.

According to Neal, Democrats are currently working with more than 90 candidates looking to run in districts all over the country that are either currently held by Republicans or that will be open and without incumbents.

The congressman also reported donating $2,500 from his campaign to Berkshire Medical Center's Hillcrest Campus in Pittsfield, $500 to the Cassin Academy of Irish Dance in Westfield, $500 to the Irish Culture Center of Western New England in West Springfield and $250 to Springfield Pics Hockey.

Despite the increase in contributions and spending, Neal's campaign balance remained largely unchanged from the $3 million cash on-hand reported at the end of 2016. The balance was up slightly from the $2.7 million reported at the close of 2015, according FEC data.

The congressman's leadership political action committee, Madison PAC, which raises money to help various political candidates, meanwhile, collected $31,000 in contributions during the first three months of 2017, according to FEC filings.

Just over a third of those contributions came from insurance and health care-related political action committees, including $5,000 from Prudential Financial Inc. State and Federal PAC, $5,000 from the Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers PAC and $1,000 from the College of American Pathologists PAC.

Madison PAC, which made four $3,000 disbursements between Jan. 20 and March 30, for a total of $12,000 to Washington D.C.-based C&G Consulting, ended the quarter with a cash balance of nearly $902,000.